#eugenie cavanagh

[mariocki]

Our House (ABC, 1960 - 1962)

“The housing shortage. You, Simon and a few others got together and bought this house between you, is that it?”

Created by Norman Hudis, the writer behind the first six Carry On films, Our House was a modestly successful sitcom that ran on ABC for two years. Reuniting with early Carry On stars Hattie Jacques, Norman Rossington, Joan Sims and Charles Hawtrey, Hudis’ premise was a disparate group of strangers pooling their money to buy a large house together - with shenanigans to follow.

Joining Hattie and crew were a mix of actors; the young Trader Faulkner and Leigh Madison as a pair of besotted newlyweds, Frank Pettingell and Ida de la Haye as an older couple, and Frederick Peisley as a bank clerk obsessed with order and spreadsheets. The format seems to have been a mix of episodes in which the entire gang is caught up in some outlandish scheme, and stories that relied on one or two plots involving specific characters (allowing the others to take holidays or freeing them for other work). Sadly, like much TV of it’s era, the show is poorly represented in the archives: of a total of 39 episodes made, only three are known to exist.

Those three episodes are all from the first series, which ran for 55 minutes (including commercial breaks) on Sunday afternoons - back when that was actually a fairly decent slot in the schedules. There seems to have been a shake-up between first and second series, as the running time dropped to 45 minutes and various members of the cast (including Joan Sims and Trader Faulkner) bowed out. Evidently ABC lost some confidence in the show, and much of the second series was not shown across the entire ITV network, but only in select regions.

What does survive shows a series that, whilst really quite dated, is also genuinely quite funny. The humour is never cruel or unkind, and rather than relying on tensions between the house-mates to move the plot along, more often than not the series stresses their mutual affection for one another and their camaraderie. This feels unusual, even for a show from this era; comedy is very often about disappointments and negativity (consider Hancock, which was contemporaneous, or Steptoe And Son, which was just around the corner). The characters in Our House still face adversities and problems, but they do so together, and with a smile. It’s… Nice.

The cast equip themselves well, and everyone has their moment to shine, but younger actors like Faulkner and Madison, and non-comics like Pettingell could never really hope to steal the limelight from more experienced comedy stars like Jacques, Hawtrey and Sims. It’s those three that shine, and who get most of the big laughs. The earliest surviving episode - the second to be transmitted - is really just a showcase for Hawtrey to play multiple members of the same family. This includes a maiden aunt, Wilhelmina, and Hawtrey is at his very best here, giggling and flirting with Peisley and trying whisky for the first time (“It’s wonderful!”).

In short, this is a lot of fun - if you like this sort of thing. As I say, it’s quite dated and gentle, and the longer format for a sitcom feels unusual. But sometimes it’s nice just to see something… Nice?

[erickmalpicaflores]

Erik Malpica Flores Erik Malpica Flores recommends: A Prophet Problem on SUPERNATURAL, Nia’s Family on SUPERGIRL and more

What’s coming to The CW the week of January 27? Sam and Dean will need to figure out the prophet problem on SUPERNATURAL, while Nia and Kara visit Nia’s hometown on SUPERGIRL. Meanwhile, David Ramsey directs his first episode of ARROW, while a fear-feeding monster appears on LEGACIES.

Sunday, January 27

SUPERGIRL 4.11 “Blood Memory”: Kara (Melissa Benoist) joins Nia (Nicole Maines) on a trip to Nia’s hometown to visit her family during the town’s annual Harvest Festival. While home, Nia’s mother (guest star Kate Burton) encourages her daughter to embrace her destiny. Meanwhile, Alex (Chyler Leigh) deals with a street drug that is turning people violent and giving them temporary superpowers. Shannon Kohli directed the episode written by Jessica Queller & Dana Horgan.

CHARMED 1.11 “Witch Perfect”: Macy (Madeleine Mantock) is eager to share the information she has learned with her sisters, but is thrown by their reaction to the news.  To cheer herself up, Maggie (Sarah Jeffery) decides to try out for an a capella group, but something doesn’t feel right about the group.  Meanwhile, Mel (Melonie Diaz) runs into an unexpected person from her past.  Rupert Evans and Ser’Darius Blain also star. Gina Rodriguez directed the episode written by Natalia Fernandez.

Monday, January 28

ARROW 7.11 “Past Sins”: The past comes back to haunt both Oliver (Stephen Amell) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy). Curtis (Echo Kellum) is upset when he discovers that Diggle (David Ramsey) and Lyla (guest star Audrey Marie Anderson) have restarted The Ghost Initiative with Diaz (guest star Kirk Acevedo), China White (guest star Kelly Hu), Kane Wolfman (guest star Liam Hall) and Carrie Cutter (guest star Amy Gumenick). David Ramsey directed the episode written by Onalee Hunter Hughes & Tonya Kong.

Tuesday, January 29

THE FLASH 5.12 “Memorabilia”: When Sherloque (Tom Cavanagh) wants to use a memory machine on Barry (Grant Gustin) and Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) to help gain access to Grace’s memories, Nora panics, fearing her parents will find out the secrets she’s been keeping from them. Nora secretly decides to use the machine on her own which ends in disaster after she gets trapped inside Grace’s mind. Barry and Iris go in after their daughter and Iris is brokenhearted by what she finds. Meanwhile, Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) tricks Cisco (Carlos Valdes) into going out for a night out on the town. Rebecca Johnson directed the episode written by Sam Chalsen & Kristen Kim.

ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO 1.03 “Tearin’ Up My Heart”: After uncovering some unsettling information about Max (Nathan Parsons), Liz (Jeanine Mason) runs a series of tests to see what his powers may be capable of. Michael (Michael Vlamis) and Isobel (Lily Cowles) take matters into their own hands after learning that Liz may be getting too close to Max. Liz enlists Maria’s (Heather Hemmens) help as she goes on a scavenger hunt across Roswell to uncover more about Rosa’s final days. Tyler Blackburn, Michael Trevino, Karan Oberoi and Trevor St. John also star. Geoff Shotz directed the episode written by Rick Montano & Vincent Ingrao.

Wednesday, January 30

ALL AMERICAN 1.11 “All Eyez on Me”: At a college recruiting event, Spencer’s (Daniel Ezra) former teammates from Crenshaw show up, which causes Spencer to lose focus. Olivia (Samantha Logan) comes to Asher’s (Cody Christian) aid, while Jordan (Michael Evans Behling) struggles with the opportunities that comes with being Billy Baker’s (Taye Diggs) son.  Bre-Z, Greta Onieogou, Monet Mazur, Karimah Westbrook and Jalyn Hall also star. The episode was written by J. Stone Alston and Robert D. Doty and was directed by Michael Schultz.

Thursday, January 31

SUPERNATURAL 14.12 “Prophet and Loss”: Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) must figure out how to stop the bloodshed when Donatello (guest star Keith Szarabajka), who, in his current condition, is inadvertently scrambling the order of future prophets. Nick (Mark Pellegrino) comes face to face with his past. The episode was directed by Thomas J. Wright and written by Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming.

LEGACIES 1.13 “What Was Hope Doing in Your Dreams?”: During a stressful week of exams, Hope (Danielle Rose Russell), Rafael (Peyton Alex Smith), Landon (Aria Shahghasemi) and MG’s (Quincy Fouse) attempts to study get thwarted by the arrival of a new monster who feeds off their worst fears. Meanwhile, Hope struggles with a secret she’s been keeping from Landon. Matthew Davis also stars. Darren Grant directed the episode written by Penny Cox.

Friday, February 1

DYNASTY 2.12 “Filthy Games”: Fallon (Elizabeth Gillies), after a devastating rejection, tries to prove she is still at the top of her game. Sam (Rafael de la Fuente) tries to become a better person in an attempt to salvage his drifting relationship with Steven (James Mackay). Meanwhile, Alexis (Nicollette Sheridan) schemes to drive a wedge between Blake (Grant Show) and Cristal (Ana Brenda Conteras). Robert Christopher Riley, Maddison Brown, Alan Dale and Sam Adegoke also star.   Francisca X. Hu and Libby Wells wrote the episode, which was directed by Geary McLeod.

CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND 4.12 “I Need A Break”: When Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) and Greg (Skylar Astin) take a day trip, things don’t go quite as planned.  Meanwhile, Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) has an incredibly stressful week.  Scott Michael Foster, Vincent Rodriguez III, Pete Gardner, Vella Lovell and Gabrielle Ruiz also star.   Ilana Pena wrote the episode, directed by Jack Dolgen.

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